Wire gate



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE ROTH, OE sT. sEBALD, IOWA.

WIRE GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming pere ef Lettere Patent No. 564,162, dated :Iuiy 14, 189e.

Application filed November 26, 1895. Serial No. 570,151. (No model.) i

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE ROTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Sebald, in the county of Clayton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention belongs to the class known as wire gates, and the leading obj ect is to provide means for looking the gate and at the same time to stretch the wire of which the gate is formed and keep it always taut when the gate is shut and looked.

In explaining the invention I shall refer to certain drawings which accompany this specification and form a part hereof, in which--l Figure l is a perspective of the gate closed and locked. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of .part of the lock. Fig. 3 is a side View of the lever. Fig. 4e is a side view of the latch and means for operating the same. Fig. 5 is a modied form of Fig. 1, having a flexible fulcrum. Fig. 6 is a modified form of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a modified form of the catch. Fig. 8 is a side view of the latch shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in all ofthe drawings.

An inexpensive mode of constructing my improved gate, together with the lock and the means for fastening the same, consists in setting firmly two gate-posts A and B, the post A being somewhat longer than the post B. Around the post B are hung two elliptical rings a a, the upper one prevented from sliding down the post B by the fence-wire b and the lower ring by the fence-wire c. Into these rings a is set a bar C, to which are loosely attached the wires CZ d, forming the gate. The bar C may be grooved where the wires d surround it or other convenient means employed to prevent the wire CZ from sliding down the bar C, and which will allow the bar to be readily withdrawn. The other end of the wire engages with staples or bolts e e, secured to the post D, presently to be described. Into the post A are fastened hooks E, which engage at the upper end with a loop g on the arm of the lever presently to be described,

and at the lower end with a loop f, attached to the post D.

The lock whereby the wire of the gate is stretched and the gate is locked is preferably constructed by securing into the head ofthe post D an iron plate I. (Shown in Fig. 2.) This plate is preferably cast in one piece with an extending arm h, provided with a pivot hole t in its outer end, in which is pivotedone end of a lever H. The other arm J is formed into a rack-bar with notches or teeth jj. There is also cast integral with said arm h, along the central portion thereof, the strengthening or staying rib k, and the rib Z is cast along the rear of the arm J. Instead of making the plate I as shown in Fig. 2 it may be made as shown in Fig. 7, the hooks s serving for the teeth j of the rack-bar, and

instead of the rigid arm h there is substituted the hook T and link t.

The lever H (shown in Fig. 3) is preferably a straight bar with a pivot-hole m at its outer end, by which it is pivoted to the arm h, and the pivot-holes n and o, a pin p, to which the loop g is pivoted, and pin q, which serves as a guide for the ratchet K.

The ratchet K (shown in Fig. 4) is pivoted at n to the lever and consists of a pawl r, which engages with the teeth j of the rack-V bar J, and the arm S, which is bent out slightly to allow the rack-bar J to slide between it and the lever H and act as a guide to keep the pawl r always in the same plane with the rack-bar J. The opposite end of the ratchet K is V-shaped for the purposes hereinafter explained. There is also pivoted to the lever H, at o, another lever P, which engages in the V of the ratchet K and operates the pawl r. y Instead ofthe ratchet K and lever P, (shown in Fig. 4,) there may be used the pawl or hook U, (shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 8,) which is pivoted to the lever and having the handle W, with a catch w to engage with the hooks s. (Shown in Fig. 7.)

It is manifest that other convenient means may be used to Operate the ratchet K without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In operating my invention, if the gate be locked, the operator grasps the lever Pand presses it up toward the lever H, which disengages the pawl r from the teeth j of the IOO rack-bar J, and at the same time lifts the lever ll by the handle O till the loep g is slackened. Then the loop g is disengaged from the hook E and the loop f from the lower hook E and the operator either carries the gate around or folds it up against the post l. lf the modified forni of lock is. used, the operator grasps the lever Il and the handle lV, which disengages the catch w from the hooks s and operates as above described.

In closing the gate, the loops f and g are caught upon their respective hooks E, and the lever ll is pulled down till the Wires d d of the gate are taut and the pavvl fr engages with some ene of the notches j and looks the gate, or the catch n engages some one of the hooks s.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. ln combination with a Wire gate, having removable bars C, D, hooks E, secured to a stationary post, and the loop f at the foot of bar D, a locking device consisting of a plate secured to said bar D, and an operating-lever pivoted to said plate, loop g carried thereby, catches on said plate, and a pawl attached to said lever and adapted to engage said catches, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a gate having a rcmovable bar C, wires CZ bar D, loop j', at the foot of bar D, for attachment te the stationary post of the fence, and a locking device attached to the bar D, consisting oi' a plate l, with arm 71 and rack-bar J, a lever pivetcd to the arm 71., and carrying a paivl adapted to engage notches on the rack-bar J, and loop g carried by the lever ll as and for the purpose shown.

ln combination With a wire gate, having the bars D, (l, a locking device secured to the gate-bar consisting of a plate l, having the arm 71 and raclcbar J, a lever Il, carrying a paivl r, lever P, and loop g, and means for removably securing said gate to the fencepest A, as and for the purposes shown.

4f. A gate-fastener consisting oi' a plate l, having an arm 7L, and raclebar il, lever ll, carrying a pawl to engage with said rack-bar, and link g, all combined and arranged substantially as described and shown.

5. A gate-'fastener consisting of a support ing-plate, combined with a lever pivotcd upon the plate, means pivoted upon the lever for holding it in any desired position, and a suitable link conn eeted to the lever for attaching the fastenin to the :fence-post, substantially as specified.

ln testimonyY whereof l affix my signature in the presence ot' tivo witnesses.

GEORGE ROTH. lVitn esses:

il'. L. WING, M. A. lloAlc. 

